Caster pad

ABSTRACT

A caster pad for mounting a caster or roller assembly to a container or receptacle or the like wherein the caster pad is provided at opposite ends thereof with means for removably supporting the caster assembly relative to the pad without the need for separate fasteners and the like.

United States Patent Cumella et a].

15; 3,667,085 51 June 6,1972

[ CASTER PAD [72] Inventors: Charles Cumella, Bronx; Joseph Cutrone,

North Merick, both of NY.

[73] Assignee: Federal Casters Corporation, Copiague,

[22] Filed: May 21, 1970 21 Appl. No.2 39,361

52 us. Cl ..16/30 [51] Int. Cl ..B60b 33/00 [58] Field of Search..16/18, 30, 29, 31

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,097,775 7/1963 Waltz.....-..248/177 2,790,196 4/1957 Rideout etal. ..16/30 2,800,679 7/l957Schultz, Jr. ..16/30 3,452,380 l/l969 Walther 16/30 FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 590,995 3/1925 France ..248/l88.8

1,481,896 4/1967 France 16/30 Primary ExaminerBobby R. Gay AssistantEraminerDoris L. Troutman Attorney-Robert l. Pearlman [57] ABSTRACT Acaster pad for mounting a caster or roller assembly to a container orreceptacle or the like wherein the caster pad is provided at oppositeends thereof with means for removably supporting the caster assemblyrelative to the pad without the need for separate fasteners and thelike. 1

8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures CASTER PAD SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Thepresent invention relates to means for movably supporting a container orreceptacle or the like, and more particularly to a novel and improvedmounting arrangement for removably supporting a caster or rollerassembly on a caster pad in a relatively simple and inexpensive mannerwithout the need for using separate fasteners to positively lock thecaster assembly in place.

Specifically, the present invention comprises a caster pad providedadjacent one end with an inwardly turned integral flange or supportshelf and adjacent the other end with a support in the form of a bolt orpin. At the other end there is provided a pair of aligned openings, onebeing provided in each of the side walls of the pad, for receiving thebolt or pin which is formed with an axial extending flat surface. Aconventional caster assembly including the usual top plate then readilymay be mounted in place within the caster pad with opposite ends of thetop plate being supported by the support shelf and the locking bolt orpin, respectively. Thus, it is seen that the present caster padconstruction provides a means whereby a caster may in a relativelysimple, quick and economical manner be mounted in place or disassembledwithout the necessity of having either to employ separate fasteners andthe like to positively secure the caster assembly in place. or loosenthe separate fasteners when disassembly of the caster assembly from thepad is required. The fact that the caster assembly need not'be held inplace by separate fasteners is a significant feature of the presentinvention as will become further apparent from a reading of thedescription which follows hereinafter. Further, a caster assemblymounting arrangement such as disclosed herein makes it possible tomanufacture the caster at a minimal expense and minimizes the laborinvolved in assembling the caster assembly and the caster pad.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to providea novel and improved mounting arrangement for a caster assembly whereinthe need for employing separate means to positively secure the casterassembly to the caster pad is eliminated.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel andimproved caster pad construction which permits mounting of a casterassembly thereto without the need for employing separate means topositively secure the latter to the pad.

Having in mind the above and other objects that will be evident from anunderstanding of the present disclosure, the invention comprisesdevices, combinations and arrangements of parts as illustrated in thepresently preferred embodiments of the invention which is hereinafterset forth in such detail as to enable those skilled in the art readilyto understand the function, operation, construction and advantages of itwhen read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates an elevational viewof a receptacle supported on a mounting assembly constructed andarranged in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a bottom plan view of a caster pad constructed inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken substantially along theline 3-3 of FIG. 2; with FIG. 4 illustrating a crosssectional view takensubstantially along the line 44 of FIG.

FIG. 5 illustrates a detached perspective view of the caster pad andsupport bolt;

FIG. 6 illustrates an alternate preferred embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 illustrating a detached perspective view thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawingswherein like parts are designated by the same reference character, FIG.1 shows a container or receptacle [0, such as used in refuse disposal,mounted for easy movement and handling on a plurality of mountingassemblies (only two of which are shown) generally designated 1 I. Thenumber of assemblies employed may vary with the shape and size ofcontainer (e.g., one at each corner of a rectangular container) beingsupported, but should be sufficient to stabilize the container in anupright position and make for easy handling. Each assembly 1 1 comprisesa hollow cup-shaped metal caster pad 12 having a top wall 13 that may besecured to the bottom of the container or receptacle 1] by suitablemeans such as welding or by screws or bolt, etc. passing throughopenings (not shown) provided in the top of the pad 12 into threadedopenings or the like (not shown) formed in the container. The pad 12 isillustrated as being of rectangular shape and comprises a pair-of sidewalls I4, 15 and end walls, l6, 17. As best shown in FIG. 2 at one end16 of the pad there is provided av centrally disposed L-shaped member I8having a lower shelf portion 19 which extends inwardly for a fixeddistance toward the opposite end I7 of the pad. As illustrated, the endwall 16 may comprise substantially only the member 18 with openingsbeing'provided on either side, that is, the member 18 may be welded tothe pad edge, or as shown in FIG. 2 the pad side and end walls arecontinuous about its periphery and the shelf 19 extendsinwardly from thelower edge on end wall 16. Naturally, the support shelf may be situatedon either of the side walls extending inwardly therefrom to providesupport for the top plate. At the end 17 of the caster pad 12 there areprovided an elongated opening 21 formed in one of the sidewalls l4 andin the other side wall 15 a second similar elongated opening 22 disposedin alignment with the former. The elongated shape of the openingsfacilitates passage of a member therethrough. FIG. 3 illus trates atypical conventional caster assembly 23 having the usual caster supportor top plate 24 to which the caster or roller 25 is mounted in aconventional manner for universal swivel movement by means of a standardking pin 26 or the like. v

To mount the caster assembly 23 in the caster pad 12 the top plate 24 isinserted into the pad such that one end of the plate 24 is supported bythe flange or shelf, '19. A bolt 27 then is passed through the elongatedopenings 2] and 22 with the opposite end of the top plate 24 beingdisposed between the bolt and the pad top wall 13. As shown, themid-section of the bolt may be offset relative to itsends'for reasonsdescribed hereinafter. The plate 24 is of sufficient length so as to besupported at one end by the shelf 19 and atthe other end by the bolt 23,and is of such a length that it will not accidentally become disengagedfrom the caster pad 12. To prevent the bolt from undesirable axialmovement or disengagement, a nut 28 is threaded onto the threaded end ofthe bolt 23. Also, the bolt may be provided with a milled flat'29, whichis shown formed on the ofiset mid-section of the bolt and when disposedas shown in FIG. 3, that is in perpendicular relation relative to themain axis of the opening, provides a flat surface on which the adjacentend of the top plate 24 rests thus preventing undesirable movement ofthe caster assembly by forcing or camming the top plate up against thepad top wall 13.

Alternatively, instead of the bolt 23 there may be provided aself-locking pin 30, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, havinga milled flat 31formed thereon and a key or lug 32 formed at one end thereof for beingreceived in a complemental key hole opening or slot 33 provided in oneof the side walls 14. The flat sur face may extend radially outward asufficient distance so as to allow the flat to force the top plateagainst the pad top wall 13. Once the key 32 passed through the keyhole33 the pin may be turned radially in a direction such that the keyfunctionally engages the surrounding side wall and is securely locked inposition against axial movement, with the pad 31 being disposed to holdthe top plate against the top wall of the pad thereby to prevent anyundesirable movement of the caster assembly top plate supported thereby.Although two types of bolt or pin constructions and arrangements havebeen disclosed, it is within the scope of this invention to providevarious other types that will sufiice for the purpose of supporting thetop plate while being readily assembled and disassembled. In anotherembodiment a second pin-shaped member disposed in aligned openings,identical to that described above may be used in place of said flange orsupport shelf. Thus, it is seen that simple, efficient, and economicalmeans are provided for readily removably mounting a caster or rollerassembly to a caster pad which eliminates the need for employingseparate fasteners and the like, thereby substantially reducing allcosts such a labor, manufacture, etc. associated therewith.

Various alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggestthemselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understoodthat the present disclosure relates to a preferred embodiment of theinvention which is for purposes of illustration only and not to beconstrued as a limitation of the invention. All such modifications whichdo not depart from the spirit of the invention are intended to beincluded within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the nature of the invention, what is claimedherein is:

l. A mounting assembly adapted for movably supporting a receptaclecomprising in combination, support means adapted for securement to saidreceptacle and being formed adjacent one end thereof with oppositelyaligned openings, roller means being detachably mounted in contactrelation relative to said support means, means operably associated withsaid support means for detachably mounting said roller means to saidsupport means and including first support means disposed adjacent theother end of said support means and extending inwardly therefrom and asecond substantially means disposed within said aligned openings, saidfirst support means and said second means comprising the sole supportfor said roller means.

2. A mounting assembly according to claim 1 wherein said first supportmeans comprises a shelf integrally formed with an end of said supportmeans and extending inwardly therefrom toward said one end.

3. A mounting assembly according to claim I wherein said second meanscomprises a self-locking pin.

4. A mounting assembly according to claim I wherein one of said openingscomprises a keyhole shaped slot and one end of said second member isformed with a radially extended lug for being received in said slot.

5. A mounting assembly according to claim 1 wherein said second meansincludes a flat surface-for supporting an end of said roller means.

6. A caster pad adapted for mounting a caster assembly for easy assemblythereto and quick detachment therefrom, said caster pad comprising ahollow substantially cup-shaped metal member having at one end shelfmeans integrally formed therewith adapted for operably supporting an endof said caster assembly, and independent pin means operably secured atthe other end of said caster pad across its width for operablysupporting the opposite end of said cater assembly.

7. A caster pad adapted for mounting a caster assembly for easy assemblythereto and quick detachment therefrom, said caster pad comprising ahollow substantially cup-shaped member having at one end shelf meansadapted for operably supporting an end of said caster assembly, andindependent means removably secured to the other endof said caster pad 7across its width for operably supporting the opposite end of said casterassembly.

8. The caster pad of claim 7 wherein said pad has oppositely alignedopenings at said other end, said removably secured means being adaptedto be disposed within said openings for securing, and being removabletherefrom.

t a: :s at a:

1. A mounting assembly adapted for movably supporting a receptaclecomprising in combination, support means adapted for securement to saidreceptacle and being formed adjacent one end thereof with oppositelyaligned openings, roller means being detachably mounted in contactrelation relative to said support means, means operably associated withsaid support means for detachably mounting said roller means to saidsupport means and including first support means disposed adjacent theother end of said support means and extending inwardly therefrom and asecond substantially means disposed within said aligned openings, saidfirst support means and said second means comprising the sole supportfor said roller means.
 2. A mounting assembly according to claim 1wherein said first support means comprises a shelf integrally formedwith an end of said support means and extending inwardly therefromtoward said one end.
 3. A mounting assembly according to claim 1 whereinsaid second means comprises a self-locking pin.
 4. A mounting assemblyaccording to claim 1 wherein one of said openings comprises a keyholeshaped slot and one end of said second member is formed with a radiallyextended lug for being received in said slot.
 5. A mounting assemblyaccording to claim 1 wherein said second means includes a flat surfacefor supporting an end of said roller means.
 6. A caster pad adapted formounting a caster assembly for easy assembly thereto and quickdetachment therefrom, said caster pad comprising a hollow substantiallycup-shaped metal member having at one end shelf means integrally formedtherewith adapted for operably supporting an end of said casterassembly, and independent pin means operably secured at the other end ofsaid casteR pad across its width for operably supporting the oppositeend of said caster assembly.
 7. A caster pad adapted for mounting acaster assembly for easy assembly thereto and quick detachmenttherefrom, said caster pad comprising a hollow substantially cup-shapedmember having at one end shelf means adapted for operably supporting anend of said caster assembly, and independent means removably secured tothe other end of said caster pad across its width for operablysupporting the opposite end of said caster assembly.
 8. The caster padof claim 7 wherein said pad has oppositely aligned openings at saidother end, said removably secured means being adapted to be disposedwithin said openings for securing, and being removable therefrom.